Media Tweak: Driving Miss Nancy

Nov 12, 2010

RUSH: The opening of yesterday’s program where we quoted, we played audio sound bites, Martin Frost, Democrat, claiming that the race between Hoyer and Jim Clyburn for the number two leadership post in the House is all about a car and a driver and so forth. Well, if you read the media today you would think I’m the one that said that because they are so ticked off over Driving Miss Nancy. There’s a website out there, Talking Points Memo: ‘Even for Limbaugh, this was just beyond the pale. This is outrageous.’ I didn’t do anything but react to what the Democrats are doing and make a little humor out of it. Clyburn, instead of being at the back of the bus let him drive Nancy Pelosi around, if that’s what leadership is about in the Democrat Party, perks, a car, driver. Get in the car, let him drive it, Pelosi in the back, Driving Miss Nancy. I knew it was gonna irritate ’em, and it did. They knew it was gonna irritate them, and they let it irritate them. But now you would think that I’m the one who said, not Martin Frost, I’m the one who said that this is all about perks, a car and a driver. Am I bothered by it? No, folks, this is part and parcel of the way things are. I actually love it.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: All right, here’s the Politico story about which I spoke moments ago: ‘Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on Thursday suggested that Rep. Jim Clyburn — the highest-ranking African American in Congress — serve as chauffeur to Nancy Pelosi in the event he fails to win the race for House minority whip. ‘Clyburn’s worried about not having the perk of a big office, driver and so forth,’ Limbaugh said on his radio show. ‘The way this can all be worked out, Clyburn’s new position: ‘Driving Miss Nancy.’ He gets to keep the car. He gets to go everywhere she goes, parties and everything else,’ Limbaugh said. ‘He’s not in the back of the bus. He’s in the driver’s seat, and she’s in the back of the car being chauffeured. Solved problem.”

Now, if you didn’t know anything but this, you would read the story and think that I originated all of this. You would think that I started talking about the fact that Clyburn’s upset he doesn’t have a car, won’t have a driver, and won’t have perks. My point here is that the Democrats do not want to give the keys to the car to Clyburn. They’re all upset the Republicans had the keys to the car; they drove it in the bush. Clyburn now wants to be number two in the House, Steny Hoyer, a rich white guy, doesn’t want him to have it. Once again, a black guy takes it on the chin in the Democrat Party. They don’t want to give Clyburn the keys. They want him to get in the backseat. I’m the one trying to put him in the front seat! But here’s how it all got started. I didn’t make it up. I just reacted to this that aired on MSNBC yesterday morning.

FROST: Here’s the thing. The top two leadership positions get a car, a driver, they get more staff, they get security, they get an office in the Capitol.

TODD: When it was the three in the majority, did Clyburn also get all this?

FROST: Yes, he had all that.

TODD: Okay.

FROST: When you’re in the minority, caucus chair doesn’t carry any of the stroke or the perks that it carries even in the majority.

RUSH: Caucus chair doesn’t carry anything. So this is Martin Frost, a former Democrat member of Congress, former leader. He’s now a commentator He’s from Texas, and he’s the one that pointed out: ‘The top two leadership positions get a car, a driver, they get more staff, they get security, they get an office in the Capitol.’ I didn’t say it. Martin Frost did. So, anyway, I just wanted to illustrate, once again, how all of this takes place and how all of this happens.